Living with Purpose: How to Set Intention
I remember sitting in a basement level conference room some years ago. The only natural light coming into the room was through a small window, which on the outside was probably ankle-height had you been a pedestrian walking by the rear of the office block. Being a small window outside the everyday view of prospective clients, it probably escaped the attentions of the window washers and cleaners too, because it was covered with dust and old spiderwebs.
The blazing electric light inside compensated for the lack of natural light, but it could not quite make up for it entirely. The harsh glare of fluorescent light somehow made the murky light through a dirty window more noticeable.
Taking a break for teatime, I walked upstairs and out the door on ground level. The brightness of the sun outside surprised me, as from within the room with its tiny, dusty window, the day seemed filled with doom and gloom.
Adapted from a photo by Andrew Neel from Pexels
Have you ever looked at the world through a dirty window?
Did you notice how it affects what you see? How it may create an impression that is very different from how things are?
Sometimes if a window is dirty enough, it shows a distorted view of the world and may even influence how you feel about the world based on your perception of it through the window.
In a way, this is what intention does.
An intention is a determination to act in a certain way. It is the attitude you bring to an act or action.
If you were to imagine for a moment waking up early on a Monday morning, saying to yourself, “Aargh! Another Monday — I am not ready for this!”
Now, imagine how this day and week will play out.
Let’s change it up:
Imagine waking up on that same Monday morning and saying to yourself, “ Wow! Another Monday morning — I cannot wait to see what wonderful opportunities this week will bring!”
Imagine how different this Monday and the following week will be.
The difference between these two versions of Monday is the intention you bring to it. Whereas the first may kickstart a week of negativity, the second brings optimism and hope.
Your intention is the window you bring to your life. Wayne W. Dyer referred to this in his book, The Power of Intention, when he said,
“If we focus on what’s ugly, we attract more ugliness into our thoughts, and then into our emotions, and ultimately into our lives.”
And,
“When you’re connected to the power of intention, everywhere you go, and everyone you meet is affected by you and the energy you radiate. As you become the power of intention, you’ll see your dreams being fulfilled almost magically, and you’ll see yourself creating huge ripples in the energy fields of others by your presence and nothing more.”
He describes intention with the exuberance of a master of the practice, which takes much time and determination. In short, he says that negative intentions, brings negative outcomes and good intentions brings positive results.
Setting positive intentions is simple and available available to us all, and you can start practising it immediately.
Here is a challenge: If you feel adventurous, say to yourself with conviction right now:
I am reading this article with interest and curiosity to find the one thing, that if I do it, will create growth in me.
Reflect on this statement. Let that interest and curiosity settle within you. Anticipate the growth that will come!
And see what happens.
Or another adventure, if you choose it:
You may have a conversation with someone later today or tomorrow, and set this intention to yourself:
I will listen to ……(name of person) with interest and compassion and notice how they truly want to help me accomplish something good in my life.”
And see what happens. Notice how you perceive that conversation.
So how can we integrate intention into our own lives?
Let us start with how to phrase intention. As mentioned before, an intention is a determination. We consciously choose, in advance, what attitude and state we want to bring to an action or event.
We consciously choose!
A good intention is infused with positivity and hope. It determines what the outcome or reward may be. It is stated in the present, investing in that attitude immediately.
A simple formula can be:
Formula: State/Attitude Result
Meta example: How I am to gain a positive outcome.
- State/Attitude: How I am (in bold)
- Result: to gain a positive outcome (in italic)
Using that formula, here are some examples of positive intentions:
- I am curious about what new things I will learn today.
- I am focused on finding the best intention to see how the person I am talking to will make my life better.
- I am grateful for all the new learnings I will make today.
What are some intentions of your own you may come up with?
It may seem simplistic to reduce something as powerful as an intention to a simple formula, and it is not my message that intentions are this simple. Still, it is a start to finding a way to integrate your good intentions into a consciously crafted life.
In living a purposeful life, seeing every opportunity, event, or act as something in which you can determine your intention beforehand will give you a measure of control towards the expectation of a positive outcome.
When you know how you want something to be in advance, it is a guidepost to aim for at the very least and a driving force to getting what you anticipate at most.
To go back to the challenge — what is the one thing, that if you do it, will create growth in you? Take a moment and reflect on it.
And if you missed it, read this article again and see if you can find it with an attitude of interest and curiosity.
Intentions are easy. It is in your hands to decide the clarity and cleanliness of the window you want to look through at the life you want to craft.
Good luck with your good intentions!
